During the Renaissance, sacred images were often found in secular settings. All the paintings in this room were made for private homes. Many have Christian subjects and were designed for personal devotion or as moral examples.
In Renaissance Italy, it was common for people to have pictures of the Virgin and Child in their homes, which they would look at time and again. These images needed to foster a personal connection with the holy figures and to remain captivating over many repeated viewings. Raphael’s exquisite, small-scale paintings of the Virgin and Child perfectly met these demands. They present touching images for contemplation, showing their loving family bond. They also express the Virgin’s important role in Christian salvation, as Christ’s nurturing mother.
Marital bedchambers in Renaissance Italy were also often decorated with paintings set into furniture or room panelling. Subjects from ancient mythology and the Bible were both popular. Pontormo’s vividly painted Joseph panels for the Borgherini bedchamber originally formed part of such a scheme. Their biblical subjects from the Book of Genesis addressed forgiveness and family relationships, and were intended as good examples for the household.
